Roberto Mancini celebrates Manchester City's title triumph, but should it have been more emphatic? (Getty Images)

First of all, congratulations to Manchester City on clinching a first English title in 44 years.

However, I have to say I was expecting Roberto Mancini’s team to win the Premier League in a more convincing manner than with a last-gasp 3-2 win against Queens Park Rangers, who were battling to avoid relegation from England’s top division.

I am not going to lie, I tipped City’s neighbors Manchester United for the the league all season long. After United pulled eight points clear of City last month, I did not expect Alex Ferguson’s team to throw it away by losing against Wigan and drawing 4-4 with Everton. Honestly, I think United lost the title more than City won it. Read the rest of this entry »

Posted by: CNN World Sport Anchor, Pedro Pinto
Filed under: Football

Coach Antonio Conte has returned the good times to Juventus, the 'Old Lady' of Turin. (Getty Images)

The Old Lady is back. This past weekend Juventus won the Serie A title with a match to spare and ended a long and winding road to recovery after their dramatic fall from grace.

What could be seen as a flashback to the years when the Turin club dominated Italian football should rather be looked upon as a glimpse into what the future of "Calcio" could be. What Juve have done is take football in Italy to the next level, both on and off the pitch, and they should get a lot of credit for it.

You could compare the club’s renaissance to that of a phoenix. When Juventus were stripped of two league titles and relegated to Serie B in 2006, their soul was dead. However, seven years later, it has been reborn and the team’s impressive achievement this season should be praised. Read the rest of this entry »

Posted by: CNN World Sport Anchor, Pedro Pinto
Filed under: Football

Roy Hodgson has already come under intense media scrutiny as England's new manager. (Getty Images)

It’s all change in England. There seems to have been a shift in the balance of power in the Premier League, and the country’s Football Association has appointed a new national team manager.

While the first phenomenon has been brewing for a while, with Manchester City’s shadow growing larger and larger over rivals Manchester United, the decision to go for Roy Hodgson as the man to replace Fabio Capello has surprised and disappointed a lot of people in England.

I have to say I am not one of them. I actually think the 64-year-old is a good appointment. He is vastly experienced and has a better pedigree than all of the other candidates who were reportedly considered for the job. The only criticism I can find regarding the decision is how long it took to make. Surely the limited time he will have to prepare for Euro 2012 means the team's chances of success at the tournament will be affected.  Read the rest of this entry »

Posted by: CNN World Sport Anchor, Pedro Pinto
Filed under: Football

Former Barcelona midfielder Pep Guardiola has an awesome record as coach at the Catalan club.

The news had been rumored and speculated upon for weeks within informed circles of the Spanish press, but the reality of Josep "Pep" Guardiola confirming his decision to leave Barcelona is a blow that no amount of advanced warning will soften for the millions of fans who follow the Catalan club around the world.

It says something of the standards the 41-year-old set at the Camp Nou that being knocked out of the semifinals of the European Champions League – a result that relinquished Barca's grip on the continental title – and a defeat to arch-rivals Real Madrid which all but ended a compelling fight for the Spanish crown, were deemed failure enough for his trophy-laden tenure to come to an end. Read the rest of this entry »

Posted by: Ben Wyatt, Sport Development Supervisor
Filed under: Football

Chelsea's Didier Drogba, left, commiserates with Barcelona's Lionel Messi, who missed a penalty. (AFP/Getty Images)

Chelsea's staggering Champions League victory over Barcelona proves that sport at the highest level can still shock us, defy all the odds and leave us open-mouthed and scratching our heads.

It proves that, despite the specter of corruption and match-fixing, the playing field is still a level one. That even if sponsors and governing bodies want the most entertaining or marketable sides to prevail, star teams don't win by right. Like anyone else, they must earn victory.

With Chelsea down to 10 men, their captain sent off, losing 2-0 and Barcelona's fearsome Camp Nou jubilant – be honest, what were you thinking? How long until Messi scores? Will it be a record win for the European champions, who were seeking a fourth title in six years? Who will Barca face in the final? Read the rest of this entry »

Posted by: Alex Thomas, CNN World Sport Anchor
Filed under: Football

American coach Bob Bradley is seeking to rebuild the fortunes of Egypt's national football team.

While the soccer world sharpens its hyperbole for Wednesday’s European Champions League semifinal first leg between Chelsea and Barcelona, another arguably more important match will take place on the other side of the world between two teams from two troubled countries.

In the neutral environment of the United Arab Emirates, the Egyptian national team – led by former U.S. coach Bob Bradley – will take on Iraq, a side now being marshaled by Brazilian legend Zico. There will be few column inches to elucidate the result. Read the rest of this entry »

Posted by: CNN Digital Sports Writer, James Montague
Filed under: Football

Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini, left, has finally lost patience with Mario Balotelli. (Getty Images)

Why always me? That was the message revealed by Mario Balotelli on his t-shirt when he scored in Manchester City’s 6-1 win at Old Trafford back in October. A lot has changed since that game, which seemed to herald a real power swing in the English Premier League, but that moment helps explain a lot of what has happened to the young Italian striker and his club during the business end of this season.

City's hopes of a first league title since 1968 have crumbled well before Manchester United get the chance to avenge that embarrassing defeat later this month, and at the same time the career of one of soccer's most promising talents is hanging in the balance.

Instead of being hailed for his goals and undoubted skills, the 21-year-old is best known for his onfield petulance and a series of high-profile off-field incidents which can only be a huge embarrassment to City's Abu Dhabi owners.

Whether it is for setting off fireworks in his house and destroying his bathroom, telling police he carries a lot of cash because he is rich, crashing his luxury car, or admitting to dating an escort, Balotelli's personal life can be compared to a bad comedy series. And now his professional future is at stake. Read the rest of this entry »

Posted by: CNN World Sport Anchor, Pedro Pinto
Filed under: Football

Kenny Dalglish has been unable to recreate his glory days at Liverpool since returning to management.

Perhaps you have seen this statistic before: Since January 1, Liverpool have picked up only eight points in the English Premier League. Only Wolves, rooted firmly to the bottom of the table, have been worse.

Yes, these are trying times for a club that once dominated domestic and international football. With only seven matches remaining, the Reds are closer to the relegation zone than the Champions League places and seem to be heading nowhere fast. One thing is clear, a change of direction is needed and it is needed now.

At various times this season I have been criticized, on my blog and on Twitter, for writing that Kenny Dalglish should be sacked as Liverpool manager. Surely now, even the most passionate fans have to start questioning their idol and the role he should have at the club. Read the rest of this entry »

Posted by: CNN World Sport Anchor, Pedro Pinto
Filed under: Football

Claudio Ranieri is the latest coach to fail at Inter Milan following Jose Mourinho's departure.

It was always a case of when, not if, Claudio Ranieri was going to be sacked by Inter Milan. Following a miserable run of results - just one win in 10 games - the Italian club's president Massimo Moratti decided enough was enough.

But the story here isn’t Ranieri, but rather Inter, and what has happened to the 18-time Serie A title winners since Jose Mourinho left after the 2009-10 season, in which he won the European Champions League plus a domestic double.

Nearly two years have passed since then, but I believe the ghost of the “special one” still haunts the training ground at Appiano Gentile. Read the rest of this entry »

Posted by: CNN World Sport Anchor, Pedro Pinto
Filed under: Football

Bolton manager Owen Coyle watches on as his player Fabrice Muamba receives urgent medical attention at White Hart Lane.

The shocking sight of Premier League player Fabrice Muamba collapsing on the pitch while playing in a match on Saturday should act as a wake-up call to the football authorities in England and across Europe.

It has highlighted again that the standards and practices in place right now are not good enough to identify the type of heart problem which struck down the 23-year-old Bolton midfielder.

They leave too much to chance - and let's not forget that the Muamba incident is just the latest in a series of tragic events which has seen high-profile players such as Marc-Vivien Foe, Miklos Feher, Phil O'Donnell, Antonio Puerta and Daniel Jarque lost their lives due to heart problems. Read the rest of this entry »

Posted by: CNN World Sport Anchor, Pedro Pinto
Filed under: Football